


Spa Day

by inej_ghafa



Series: The Mask is Fading [2]
Category: An Ember in the Ashes - Sabaa Tahir
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 16:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17450687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inej_ghafa/pseuds/inej_ghafa
Summary: Laia decides that Helene and herself need some bonding time





	Spa Day

The flames dance across the wall as Helene sits, eyes lidded, watching her sister and nephew sleep. It is her most peaceful and favourite part of her day. All the worries of the world seem to ebb away and her only concern is keeping those dearest to her safe. She insisted on taking this watch against Faris’ protestations because she enjoys watching them get ready for bed and slowly drift off, happy in the knowledge they are safe in her presence. They’re all she has left and damn if she loses it. Well, the most part of what she has left. The other part she hasn’t quite admitted to herself yet.

There is a soft knock at the door and Helene jolts out of her seat. She goes to the door and waits. There are a further three knocks in a pattern, and she breathes a sigh of relief before opening the door. Laia enters and gives her a small smile.

“How are you Shrike? You look drained.”

Helene returns the smile. Laia and she are not quite friends but have grown closer over the last few months spent at Delphinium. “I am fine. Do not worry about me.”

“Oh but I do. We can’t have our fearless leader wearing herself down.” Laia sits down but Helene remains standing, hands over the back of a chair. 

“How are they coming along?” Helene changes the subject abruptly, hands clenching the chair tightly. “Have they been resisting?”

Laia sighs deeply but replies obligingly. “The Scholars have been slaves so long that they are keen to be trained up and have a new beginning. Although some are resentful of helping a Marital such as yourself, they are coming along nicely. They are no masks, but they will do.”

“Good.” Helene ends the conversation there, and then wearily lowers herself into the chair. Although she seems relaxed, her muscles are still tense, ready for anything. 

Laia, however, is persistent. “You know what would do you a world of good. A spa day.”

 

Helene snorts. “A spa day? You think me some lazy courtesan?”

Laia rolls her eyes. “Of course not. But you need a break. You haven’t had a day off since we arrived here.”

Helene considers. She has a point. “Alright, Laia. What do you propose?”

\---

The two girls sit in a private room at the city’s baths, masks on their faces and body’s scantily clad. Smoke spirals through the gaps in the floor, filling the room with a rose scent.

“You know what Laia...this is actually nice,” Helene admits, allowing a small smile to form on her face.

Laia grins. “I thought you would say that once I got you here. Imagine if Elias could see us now, huh?”

“Yeah. If only he could.” The mention of Elias sobers up the room a little. Helene peeks at Laia who seems to have regretted mentioning the Soul Catcher, looking saddened. “How was he when you last saw him?”

 

She sighs. “He wasn’t himself that was for sure. It is hard seeing someone you love lost like that.” Helene is surprised Laia is so open with her. She had suspected the girl loved Elias as he loved her, but she had never spoken about it before. She supposed it was different now, as that love could never truly be requited.

“I know the feeling. Losing someone you love is hard.” Images of her family’s faces sprung in her mind, and she hastily pushed them down. Now was not the time to get overly emotional. Helene shifted in her seat. “Speaking of, I’m sorry about your mother.”

Laia drew in a harsh breath. It was clear that the memory was still fresh and painful in her mind. To have her mother back with her, changed, to only have her taken away again. That could not be easy.

“I’m not sorry. She sacrificed herself for a noble cause.” Laia blinked quickly as water threatened to spill from her eyes. “At that moment she was more herself than she had been in a long time.” 

They lapsed into silence once more, although it was not uncomfortable. Helene closed her eyes, enjoying the peace and quiet…

The door swings open with a bang and Harper comes rushing in. Laia and Helene sit up in surprise at his appearance. 

“Blood Shrike! We need your presence now. It’s urgent.” He blurts out his message in a rush, panting a little from his hurry to get here. He then realises where he is, and what the two women are wearing, and his mouth hangs open.

“Shut your mouth, Harper, you look like a fish.” Helene snaps, trying to hide from the blush creeping up her face. Laia looks between the two of them, a smirk on her face. Helene stands and grabs a nearby robe, drawing it around her. “Give me five minutes.” Avitas nods and quickly leaves the room. Once he has left Laia barks out a laugh.

“Oh, Helene you have it bad!”

\---

Exactly five minutes later Helene exits the room fully dressed and finds Harper waiting outside. She nods to him before starting to walk purposefully towards the exit. “So, what news?” she asks.

He looks flustered still. “Keris has been missing for a week.” 

She stops in her tracks. “A week?! How could our spies let her out of their sight! She could be halfway across the empire by now!” Helene draws in a breath. “We will have to make preparations faster than expected. Get onto those, immediately.”

Harper nods, before going to leave. But before he does he stops and turns to her. “Sorry for walking in on you earlier. That was unprofessional of me.”

“What was unprofessional was your reaction, Avitas. You would have seen me naked many times at Blackcliff so I didn’t expect such shock from you.” A small smile forms on Helene’s face. “But in future, I suppose you will have to see me in the state more so prepare yourself for it. You are my second, after all.”

Avitas nearly beams at her. “Well Helene, I look forward to those circumstances to learn.”

The two then part ways hurriedly on their various missions, but neither can fully wipe the smile off their faces.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm enjoying posting in this fandom. Please comment if you enjoy and I will continue with a little series of these fics, centered around Helene and Avitas :)


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